Method and apparatus for feeding joining elements

Abstract

A method and apparatus for feeding joining elements to a joining tool is presented. The joining tool may be movable by a programmable handling unit, and a magazine for receiving at least one joining element may be mounted on the joining tool. The magazine may be moved to a filling station that has a tubular section with an outlet opening. An inlet opening of the magazine may be oriented in relation to the outlet opening. At least one joining element may be conveyed to the tubular section so that it passes through the tubular section, the outlet opening, the inlet opening, and into the magazine. During the orienting, the magazine may be oriented in relation to the outlet opening such that the magazine is spaced apart from the filling station during the conveying of the at least one joining element.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for feeding joining elements, comprising:
 a joining tool that is movable by a programmable handling unit, the joining tool configured to perform a joining connection between two workpieces using at least one joining element; 
 a magazine mounted on the joining tool and adapted to receive the at least one joining element, the magazine having an inlet opening; 
 a filling station having a tubular section with an outlet opening, the tubular section adapted to feed the at least one joining element to the magazine so that, when the at least one joining element is being conveyed from the filling station into the magazine, the inlet opening of the magazine first receives the at least one joining element after the at least one joining element exits the filling station through the outlet opening, wherein the apparatus is adapted to convey the at least one joining element from the filling station into the magazine when the inlet opening of the magazine is aligned with the outlet opening of the filling station, and a control device that is programmed to control a relative position of the magazine and the filling station so that the magazine is spaced apart from the filling station when the at least one joining element is being conveyed from the filling station into the magazine, 
 wherein the magazine has an insertion section between the inlet opening and a receiving section of the magazine, the insertion section widening from the receiving section towards the inlet opening such that the joining element is centered during entry into the magazine. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the filling station has a centering aid that is arranged concentrically around the outlet opening. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the centering aid has a centering cage that comprises a plurality of webs that are adapted to be deflectable radially and together form a conical shape. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the centering aid is formed concentrically around the outlet opening to taper conically in the outlet direction, wherein a diameter of a free end of the centering aid and a diameter of the inlet opening are adapted to allow the centering aid to dip at least partially into the insertion section. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a laterally open radial guide section is arranged in the region of the inlet opening or in the region of the outlet opening, wherein the radial guide section of the tubular section of the filling station or a tubular section of the magazine can be inserted into the region of the inlet of the opening or the region of the outlet opening in a direction transverse with respect to a conveying direction, in order to center the magazine in relation to the filling station. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one joining element is a rivet or a stud. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tubular section is a permanent continuously open tubular section so that the outlet opening is unblocked before aligning the inlet opening of the magazine with the outlet opening and after conveying the at least one joining element to the magazine. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a sensor arrangement to detect whether the magazine has approached the outlet opening of the filling station. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus for feeding joining elements, comprising:
 a joining tool that is movable by a programmable handling unit, the joining tool configured to perform a joining connection between two workpieces using at least one joining element; 
 a magazine mounted on the joining tool and adapted to receive the at least one joining element, the magazine having an inlet opening; 
 a filling station having a tubular section with an outlet opening, the tubular section adapted to feed the at least one joining element to the magazine, and 
 a control device that is programmed to control a relative position of the magazine and the filling station so that the magazine is spaced apart from the filling station and the inlet opening of the magazine is aliened with the outlet opening of the filling station when the at least one joining element is being conveyed from the filling station into the magazine, 
 wherein the magazine has an insertion section between the inlet opening and a receiving section of the magazine, the insertion section widening from the receiving section towards the inlet opening such that the joining element is centered during entry into the magazine. 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the filling station has a centering aid that is arranged concentrically around the outlet opening. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one joining element is a rivet or a stud. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the tubular section is a permanent continuously open tubular section so that the outlet opening is unblocked before aligning the inlet opening of the magazine with the outlet opening and after conveying the at least one joining element to the magazine. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a sensor arrangement to detect whether the magazine has approached the outlet opening of the filling station.